Current-motor.



L. R. APPLEGATE.

CURRENT MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 25, 1912.

Patented Aug. 26, 1913.

WITNESSES AMA LEE ROY APPLEG-ATE, or SPOKANE, WASHINGTON.

CURRENT-MOTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 26,1913.

Application filed July 25, 1912. Serial No. 711,441.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LEE ROY ArPLEcATE,

a citizen of the United States, and residing at Spokane, in the county of Spokane and State of iVashingto-n, have invented new and useful Improvements in Current-Motors, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to current motors, such as are either disposed partly, or wholly submerged in a running stream, channel, race, flume or the like, and actuated by the head of water or other liquid impinging vanes movable with the current.

The principal objects of my invention are to provide a motor having a plurality of vanes so mounted and disposed in connection with an endless carrier as to be successively presented in the current and impinged thereby to transmit the motive force of the current to a drive shaft through said endless carrier, and, to provide means whereby the travel of the vanesin a direction counter to that in which they move for an impelling purpose, is accomplished with a minimum resistance regardless as to whether the motor is wholly submerged or not. In other words, to permit those vanes inactive as impellers to move to an operative position in the current without materially reducing the power developed by the vanes active as impellers.

A further object of my invention is to provide means for rendering the motor inoperative, without materially obstructing the way in which the water is conveyed.

In the drawings, forming a part of this specification:Figure l is a central longitudinal sectional view through a motor embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional. view on substantially the line a-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detailed view of parts of the mechanism adapted to render the motor inoperative.

Similar characters refer to similar parts throughout the views.

A suitable casing, designated generally by l, is provided, having a way 2 at its lower portion, through which the current of wa ter may flow, and a substantially air tight cavity 3 above said way and open at the top of said way. By means of this construction, when the water flows through way 2 and engages the lower margin of cavity 3, formed by the damming walls 4, the water is excluded from said cavity by the atmos- 11121:) ElSSUHlG a form of rods extend from the links pheric pressure therein, even though the casing be wholly submerged in the water. I may find it desirable, in some instances, to maintain a gaseous pressure within cavity 3 to exclude water therefrom, when the head of water is of considerable pressure, and this may be accomplished by use of a pump 5, or other suitable device, with a pipe 6 in connection with pump 5 and open to the said cavity 3.

An endless carrier, preferably comprising two endless chains 7 disposed at both sides of the casing 1 and moving in planes parallel to the direction of current flow, is car ried by wheels 8, preferably sprocket wheels, as clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing. These wheels are mounted upon shafts 9 and 10, extending transversely of the casing 1 and journaled to the sides thereof, and one of said shafts, preferably that designated 9, extends through a stufling box 11 exteriorly of the casing 1. The mounting of shafts 9 and 10 in casing 1 is such as to dispose the runs of the carriers, that is, those portions intermediate the wheels, downwardly inclined in the direction of current flow, which is indicated by an arrow. These shafts are also disposed so that substantially all of the lower run of the carrier is sub merged in the water flowing through way 2, and the upper run, within the cavity 3.

The endless carrier supports a plurality of vanes 12 pivoted crosswise intermediate chains 7, preferably at a point 13, adjacent one margin of each vane, so that the vanes are movably supported by the carrier and pendent position responsive to the force of gravity. Each vane is provided with a cam 14, preferably one adja cent each lateral margin on the advance face thereof, while the chains 7 carry in operative relation thereto, abutments 15, preferably in the form of rods, supported by links 16 and 17. These abutments when in the 16 and 17 on one chain to a coacting pair of similar links on the opposite chain, so that one rod is provided in advance of each vane and serves as an abutment for the two cams of the vane of which it is in advance. The function of these abutments is clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing, where the lowermost vane is active for impelling or transmitting motion of the current to the carrier, such vane being disposed perpendicw lar to the direction of current flow, and inasmuch as it forms a substantial obstruction in the way 2, is carried with the current, its cams ll abutting against abutments 15 to limit its field of oscillation. Because of the mounting of abutments 15 by links 16 and 17, the same do not interfere with free move ment of the carrier in rounding its supporting wheels.

An apron 18, preferably of sheet metal, envelops and extends intermediate the shafts 9 and 10. This apron serves to prevent rubbish or other material carried into way 2, from becoming entangled about the shafting. As before stated, I prefer to pivot the vanes 12 at a point adjacent one margi thereof, but not directly at the mar in, so that in travel, when the vanes may hang pendently from the lower run of the carrier, such portions above the pivot points 13 come in close proximity to the said apron 18, and it is to be noted that the vanes when reaching the lowermost portion of the lower run of the carrier, substantially close the way 2, transversely, utilizing the maximum power of the current for impelling movement to the carrier. Those vanes inactive for impelling purposes, swing to a position relative to the carrier, to cause little resistance to movement of the carrier as they travel through cavity 3, owing to the exclusion of water from such cavity. After any vane, inactive for impelling purposes, has been transported to the forward end of casing 1, and its pivot point becomes below a plane passing hori- Zontally through the axis of shaft 9, and its one end dips into the water flowing through way 2, the force of the current tends to swing the vane so as to position it relative to the current for successful operation. This is well shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing, where the foremost vane in the casing is about to swing about its pivot and present itself directly in the current.

Motion imparted to shaft 9 may be transmitted to a suitable drive shaft 19, through eomeshin g bevel gears 20 and 21, carried by the shafts 9 and 19, respectively, the latter shaft extending upwardly and out of the water, when the motor is submerged.

The passage of water through way 2 may be restricted by casing 22, so that the vane, acting for impelling purposes, may act more efficiently. Trap 23 may be pivoted to swing upwardly into the way 2, to be engaged by the vane in such way, so that they are inclined with respect to the current flow, thus rendering the motor momentarily partially inactive. These traps may be actuated by a link 2% engaging the said trap and extending through casing 1. Both links 2t may be actuated simultaneously from a shaft 25, through connecting rods 26 and cranks 27 The shaft 25 extends transversely above the casing 1, supported by bearings 28, and has motion imparted thereto by means of a rod 29, pivoted to one of the cranks 27 and extending upwardly out of the water when the motor is submerged. A grating 30 may be provided in advance of way 2, to exclude rubbish or other material from entering the casing 1.

The operation of the device is as follows Assuming that the motor has been disposed in a suitable channel, race, or the like, and is inactive because of the relative disposition of the vanes 12 with. respect to the current flow, as soon as the vanes are permitted to swing to cause resistance to flow of the current through way 2, the fiow ing water overcomes such resistance by carrying the vanes disposed in its path, forwardly, imparting movement to the carrier. After each vane has served as an impelling element, it is transported through cavity 3, by the carrier, to be again disposed in operative relation to the current for impelling purposes. During its passage through cavity 3, the vane causes little resistance to movement of the carrier imparted thereto by the vanes active for impelling purposes, owing to the absence of a resisting fluid, such as water, in the cavity.

Changes in detail may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention; but,

I claim 1. In a current motor of the character described, the combination of means providing a way, an endless carrier comprising two flexible endless belt like members movable in planes parallel to and longitudinally of the current flow through the said way with the bottom runs of the belt like members disposed in the said way, vanes pivotally carried by said belt like members intermediate the same, cams carried by said vanes on the advance faces thereof, and abutments for said cams, pivotally carried by said belt tion of each vane independently of the others, to dispose said vanes with their planes in said way crosswise the direction of current flow, but permitting said vanes to fold relative to said carrier in the other direction, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a current motor of the character described, the combination of a casing having a way at its lower portion and a water tight cavity above said way, means for maintaining a geaseous pressure in said cavity when sealed at its lower margins by liquid, an endless carrier, means movably supporting said carrier in said casing with its upper run disposed in the said cavity and its lower run in the said way, a plurality of vanes pivotally supported by said carrier to swing freely in one direction to lie with their planes longitudinally of the carrier when in said cavity, and means carlike members to limit oscillaried by said carrier for limiting movement of said vanes in the other direction to dispose the same with their planes crosswise of the direct-ion of current flow when passing through said way, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a current motor of the character described, the combination of a casing having a way at its lower portion and a water tight cavity above said way, an endless carrier, means movably supporting said carrier in said casing with its upper run disposed in the said cavity and its lower run in the said way, a plurality of vanes pivotally supported by said carrier to swing freely in one direction to lie with their planes longitudinally of the carrier when in said cavity, and means carried by said carrier for limiting movement of said vanes in the other direction to dispose the same with their planes crosswise of the direction of current flow when passing through said way, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. A current motor of the character described comprising in combination, a casing having a way at its lower portion and a water tight cavity above said way, means for maintaining a gaseous pressure in the cavity when sealed at its lower margins by liquid, an endless carrier, means movably supporting said carrier in said casing with its upper run disposed in said cavity and its lower run in said way, and vanes carried by said carrier to be successively disposed with their planes in said way crosswise of the direction of current flow therethrough, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. A current motor of the character described comprising in combination, a casing having a way at its lower portion and a water tight cavity above said way, an endless carrier, means movably supporting said carrier in said casing with its upper run disposed in said cavity and its lower run in said way, and vanes carried by said carrier to be successively disposed with their planes in said way crosswise of the direction of current flow therethrough, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. A current motor of the character described comprising in combination, a casing having a way at its lower portion and a water tight cavity above said way, an endless carrier, means movably supporting said carrier in said casing with its upper run disposed in said cavity and its lower run in said way, vanes pivotally carried by said carrier to be successively disposed with their planes in said way crosswise of the said direction of the current flow therethrough, and means adapted to be disposed in the path of movement of said vanes, within said way, to swing the same to a plane inclined to the direction of current flow through the said way, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. A current motor of the character de scribed comprising in combination, a casing having a water tight cavity above the current, means for maintaining a gaseous pressure in said cavity when sealed at its lower margins by liquid, endless traveling mechanism provided with vanes and arranged to bring the uppermost vanes within said cavity when in an inactive position, the lowermost vanes being acted upon by said stream, substantially as described.

8. A current motor of the character de scribed comprising in combination, a casing having a water tight cavity above the surface of the current and adapted to be closed by liquid, an endless carrier, means movably supporting said carrier in said casing with its upper run disposed in said cavity and its lower run adjacentthe current, and vanes carried by said carrier to be successively disposed in said cavity and in the current, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

LEE ROY APPLEGATE. lVitnesses:

HAROLD ELLIS SOANTLEBURY, Nnr'rm KING.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

